The tension within each of us is not necessarily bad and is not sinful. Like our human emotions, the tension our longing causes is neutral. Those who play stringed instruments know the importance of tension with respect to producing a desired note. Those who are skilled with a bow and arrow (by the way, in Hebrew the word sin comes from archery) understand the importance of having the correct amount of tension to hit the target. Some of the greatest music our lives play before the Lord flows from our willingness to strike the right chord even when we do not really want to.
Hitting the bull’s-eye in terms of living our humanity rightly also rests upon the proper amount of tension. Imagine the music your life and mine can make before the Lord. I think this is a much more positive way to think about those moments that seem to test us.
—from St. Anthony Messenger‘s “Let Us Pray: Be Fearless in Prayer“
by Fr. Gary Caster
